John l



dotted Stairs JOHN L. PORTER, OF KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI.

Letters Patent No. 90,389,1iated May 25, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ABIJOIMINAL SUPPORTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

'To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN L. PORTER, of Kirksville, in the county of Adair, and in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Supporters; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents the supporter opened out, and

Figure 2 showsthe same as applied.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

, My invention relatesto a class of devices used. for supporting the abdomen; and

It consists in the peculiar form and arrangement of the several parts, by means of which the support is caused to fit closely to the body, and exert an equal pressure upon all of the parts covered by it, while, at the same time, conforming readily to all the different positions assumed by the body.

In the annexed drawing- A represents the body of the supporter, which is straight upon the upper edge, while the lower edge is curved downward, from near the ends toward the centre, so as to cover the lower portion of the abdomen; and its length is-inteuded to be just sufiicient to permit its ends to meet when passed around the hips.

Each end is slitted horizontally about one-fourth of the length of the supporten so as to fit the swelling of the hips; and each half 'is provided with a strap, B B, 860., of sufficient length to enable it to pass around the body, and tie with the corresponding strap upon the other end of the supporter.

In order to permit the straps to lie smoothly upon the body, and also to prevent sagging, those upon the right are caused to pass through openings, 12 b, in the left side of the support, while those upon the left are caused to pass through openings-between the strips 0, secured vertically upon said support, and the support.

Other straps, D D, are attached to the lower edge of the support, just in front of the hips, and pass backward around the thighs, and have their opposite ends secured to the front of said-suppoit, near its centre, by means of buttons, as shown in fig. 2.

The supporter, as constructed, fits closelyto the abdomen and thighs, without, in the least, interfering with the motions of the body, and furnishes a coniplete support for the abdominal and uterine appenda es.

The pressureof the supporter, being forward and downward upon the spinal column, tends to give the body an erect position, and thereby throw the pelvic viscera forward upon the brim of the pelvis, and affords a sufiicicnt support for said parts when in a relaxed state, bywhich means falling of the womb, prolapsus of the vagina, and other kindred and common occurrences are prevented. a

While possessing the above-named advantages, this support, being constructed wholly of cloth, can be furnished at a cost of from seventy-five cents upward, according to the material employed, and is thus brought within reach of all.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 7 As a new article of manufacture, the within-described abdominal snpporter, consisting of the body A, divided horizontally from either end, as shown in the drawing, and provided with the straps B B and D D, strip 0, and openings I) b, all constructed and arranged to operate as and for the purpose shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 1st day of May, 1869.

JNO. L. PORTER.

Witnesses:

Geo. S. PRINDLE, SAML- S. MARE. 

